Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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336 of 341 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Cardio Fun!, October 17, 2003
By A Customer
This workout is a lot of fun and aerobic enough to get me into my training heart zone (moderate level; this isn't Tae Bo!!)I've only had it a month, and I can't stop working out to it! It's made my weekly rotation--and I'm picky.I do exercise videos 5-6 days a week and have lost 40 lbs doing them (with a reasonable diet). So, I take my video selections seriously. I've purchased more than 100 videos, but many of them are rejects because the workout isn't aerobic enough, it's boring, the instructor is uninspiring, etc. This Cardio Salsa Video, on the other hand, has so much going for it:
1) The instructor is lively, and breaks down the moves so they are easy to learn. 2) The workout is presented in six segments--so the time flies. Before you know it, you're off doing the next segment, Salsa, Samba,Merengue (my favorite)and more. This short segment approach keeps the workout very fresh for those like me who want to do a video regularly and not just once or twice. 3)The workout incorporates large arm movements and some jumps, so even someone who is fit (like me) can get their heart rate into the moderate intensity zone. Put some energy behind the moves, and you will get a good workout! OK, it's not the strenous workout of Tae Bo, but it's not too easy like a lot of Latin tapes out there that are only good for "light days" or are in my reject pile. 4) The live drummer Ravi and his drumming add something special to the video. He's on several other Crunch videos, and I've liked all the ones he's on. Are you a beginner or someone who does not like dancy videos? Stick with it; you'll learn these short routines in 2 or 3 times through the video and you WILL be converted to an Aerobic Latin style enthusiast thanks to Giselle and her good choreography.
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115 of 116 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
you get out of it what you put into it, August 24, 2004
There's a lot to say about this compact little video. Overall, it's a great little workout for days that you want something a little less intense, and it's good for people who are beginner/intermediate. Ultimately, you really get out of it what you put in to it. It's fun and lively, and if you really use your muscles, you'll work up a sweat. The key here is to contract your muscles as you're moving them, so you get a bit of isometric work while you're dancing. If you just flop your arms and legs around, you won't work up a sweat at all. Experienced exercisers and athletes will know this automatically, but some beginners or even intermediates will become frustrated with the level of this workout if they don't do this, and the concept is not really explained in the video.
As an instructor, Giselle is right on top of things. Some of the steps and combinations are a bit tricky, and you have to really pay attention to do the routine well the first or second time, but expect to have to do this video at least three times before you really get it. If you find yourself messing up, just laugh and go back to your basic step. Giselle does have a bit of an accent, but I find her very easy to understand.
Overall, I enjoy this workout. It's fun, and features a variety of women of different shapes and sizes - some not even wearing real workout clothes. The message of this video seems to be that no matter who you are or what fitness level you're at, you can have fun and get a great workout. I don't know about you, but I find that incredibly inspiring.
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28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun and energetic dancing = a good workout!, December 19, 2005
Crunch Cardio Salsa is a lively mix of Latin dance styles reworked as cardio exercise moves. The instructor for this workout is Giselle Roque de Escobar. This workout is broken into 7 segments:
1. Warm-up
2. Salsa Combination
3. Merengue Combination
4. Merengue Salsa Combination
5. Samba Combination
6. Latin Funk Combination
7. Cool Down
In general: This is a fun and active workout--I definitely worked up a sweat and, at one point, my legs felt like rubber. Both the instructor and the backup dancers are VERY good at this and most really get into it, so you get a great flavor for Latin dancing in general as well as the workout. Can't say that I would recommend this workout to guys because there are a lot of very feminine hand and hip gestures throughout the workout.
A few details: I found the Samba portion (#5) the most challenging by far. Until that point, I didn't have a problem learning the steps or keeping up with the pace, but the Samba beat me into submission. Whew!!! I think the music/pace is at its fastest during this portion, so that didn't help. I think that this whole workout would have been easier if done on an uncarpeted surface. That is true of most cardio workouts but triply so for this one. Because of the fast footwork and because you need to stay on your toes for much of it, carpet is especially fatiguing (my calves were screaming by the time I got through Samba). The cooldown is longer than most cardio cooldowns and I kind of liked that. I especially liked the flamenco flavor added in the cooldown.
In summary: If you like to dance and have a good sense of rhythm, I'd suggest you try this. I had fun with it (except for Samba, which I could not follow on the first try) and with all the arm movements going along with the dance steps, you really do feel like you're dancing as much as working out--I liked that. Right now, after having done the workout once, I'm leaning toward buying it, but I will do the workout another two times or so on rental before I make my final decision.
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